


every time you kiss me (it's like sunshine and whiskey)

by splendidlyimperfect



Series: i'm with them [50]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dorks in Love, Established Relationship, Fluff, Lazy Mornings, M/M, Morning Cuddles, Morning Kisses, Multi, Polyamory, Sharing Clothes, Soft Boys, Talking About The Future, Teasing, disgustingly sappy as usual, mentions of depression, quarantine fic, weekends at the lake
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-20
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:07:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24825778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/splendidlyimperfect/pseuds/splendidlyimperfect
Summary: It's been twelve weeks in quarantine and the boys decide to head to Gray's parent's cabin for a weekend of isolation.
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster, Natsu Dragneel/Sting Eucliffe, Rogue Cheney/Gray Fullbuster, Rogue Cheney/Natsu Dragneel, Rogue Cheney/Natsu Dragneel/Sting Eucliffe/Gray Fullbuster, Rogue Cheney/Sting Eucliffe, Sting Eucliffe/Gray Fullbuster
Series: i'm with them [50]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1181153
Comments: 61
Kudos: 147
Collections: my heart is too big for just one of you





	1. morning kisses

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the tumblr prompt for soft morning kisses, and "sharing is caring, now give me the hoodie." 
> 
> Title from [Sunshine and Whiskey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYKnP-6cDWE) by Frankie Ballard
> 
> Find me on tumblr as [@splendidlyimperfect](https://splendidlyimperfect.tumblr.com/) or check out the OT4 blog at [@gratsustingue-the-ot4](https://gratsustingue-the-ot4.tumblr.com/)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys decide to head to the cabin for the weekend.

Sting woke slowly to a warm beam of sunshine spilling across the bed and a quiet, rumbling purr above his pillow. Natsu’s arm was wrapped firmly around his waist, and he was curled up against Gray, nose pressed against the back of his neck.

“Mornin’, sunshine.” Natsu’s muffled voice came from behind him, followed by a kiss pressed to his bare shoulder. Sting smiled, tipping his head back until he could kiss Natsu’s cheek.

“Hey, you,” he murmured. “Time issit?”

“Nine thirty.” Rogue’s voice came from the doorway and Sting looked up to see him standing there in Gray’s hoodie and a pair of sweatpants, long hair pulled back in a messy bun. Frosche, who had been curled up at the foot of the bed, slowly uncurled herself and stretched, then meowed plaintively at Rogue.

Sting yawned, nuzzling Gray’s neck and kissing under his ear. Gray responded with a quiet mumble and slowly rolled onto his back, rubbing his eyes and blinking blearily awake.

“Hey, handsome,” Sting said softly, brushing Gray’s tangled hair out of his face and leaning in to kiss him. “Sleep okay?”

Gray responded with a noncommittal grunt and returned the kiss, then curled up and tucked his head into the crook of Sting’s neck. “Do I smell coffee?” he asked, yawning and looking over at Rogue.

“You do,” Rogue replied, settling down on the bed next to Frosche and scratching her head. She purred happily and rubbed herself against him, and was quickly joined by Lector and Happy, who appeared from where they’d been sleeping next to Gray and padded across the bed.

Sting felt a soft tug on his hair and tipped his head back to see Soleil sitting behind his pillow. “Hey, pretty girl,” he said. She meowed and balanced on her hind legs, putting her front paw on Sting’s forehead to hold him still while she groomed his hair.

“How long have you been up?” Natsu asked Rogue, sitting up and tugging on his sleeve until he joined the cuddle pile, curling up between Natsu and Sting. Rogue hummed happily when Natsu pulled his hair out of the bun and started combing his fingers through it.

“A while,” Rogue admitted. “I had a weird dream and couldn’t go back to sleep.”

“A bad one?” Sting asked, sliding his hand into Rogue’s and squeezing.

Rogue shook his head. “No, just weird. There were robots… Gray was some sort of ninja and we had these powers to do… something.” Natsu snorted. “It’s all blurry but I couldn’t fall asleep again, so I got some writing done instead.”

Gray laughed, then shifted further onto Sting so he could pull Rogue in for a kiss. “A ninja, huh?”

“Mm.” Rogue ran his fingers through Gray’s hair, trying to undo the tangles. “You had a sword. It was pretty hot.”

“Maybe I should get a real sword,” Gray teased, rubbing his nose against Rogue’s and kissing him again. “You think it’d be hot in real life?”

“You’re already hot in real life,” Natsu argued, tucking the last piece of Rogue’s hair into the braid he was making and tying it off with the elastic. Then he leaned over and nudged himself into the kiss, rubbing his cheek against Rogue’s.

“You need to shave,” Rogue said, laughing as Natsu’s stubble tickled his cheek.

“What, you don’t like my quarantine beard?” Natsu stuck his tongue out at Rogue, who rolled his eyes.

“I like it,” Sting said. “Makes you look respectable.” Soleil, apparently pleased with her work, sat back on her haunches and meowed loudly at them.

“Respectable?” Natsu made a face.

“That’s false advertising,” Gray said, reaching up and running his fingers along the light dusting of stubble on Natsu’s jaw. “People are gonna think you’re a real adult or something.”

“Can’t have that,” Natsu said, grinning and turning to kiss Gray’s palm. “What if I dyed it pink?”

“You will _not.”_ Gray said firmly. “The bathroom still looks like a murder scene from the last time we dyed your hair.” Natsu pouted, and Gray sighed. “Look, if we’re still stuck in here when the roots grow out, we can dye it again, but dyeing this—” he gestured at Natsu’s face “—seems like a terrible idea.”

“Fiiiine,” Natsu said, kissing Gray’s wrist again and then pushing himself up and stretching. “You guys wanna go to the beach today?”

“Are we allowed to?” Sting asked. Soleil headbutted him and he reached up to scratch behind her ears.

Gray nodded. “Not the public beach, but mom and dad said we could stay at the cabin for the weekend if we wanted. They had the cleaners go in and sanitize it and it’s in the middle of nowhere, so it’d be pretty safe.”

“Sounds perfect,” Natsu said. He tugged playfully at Rogue’s braid until Rogue sat up too, leaning back and kissing him. “When do we leave?”

Gray shrugged. “Now?”

Sting watched a grin spread across Natsu’s face, and something in his chest melted at the sight. The last twelve weeks of confinement had been hell on Natsu and seeing him smile made Sting feel hopeful.

“You guys go have coffee,” Sting suggested, nudging Gray off so he could slide off the bed. “I’ll pack.”

“Don’t forget my gray hoodie,” Natsu said as he hopped down from the bed and headed toward the door, followed by three hungry cats. Rogue helped Soleil down and she ran awkwardly after the others with her three-legged gait.

“You mean _my_ gray hoodie,” Sting said, raising an eyebrow. “You’re a thief.”

Natsu raised an eyebrow. “That’s not what we teach at the daycare, Mister Eucliffe,” he said, then started to sing. _“Sharing is caring for someone else, giving something away gives you something back.”_

Sting rolled his eyes, grabbing a balled-up sock and tossing it at Natsu’s head. “Fine,” he said, turning to the closet and grabbing his favorite hoodie. “But only ‘cause you’re cute and I love you.”

“Love you too, babe,” Natsu said, blowing him a kiss before heading into the kitchen to feed the cats. Rogue followed him, and Gray rolled off the bed toward Sting, yawning and stretching.

“You know,” he said quietly, “that’s my favorite hoodie, too.”

“Oh, don’t you dare,” Sting said, laughing when Gray wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed his neck. “I’m not picking favorites.”

“But I looooove you,” Gray said, laughing against Sting’s skin. Sting sighed happily, turning in Gray’s arms and wrapping his arms around his neck. Playful Gray was rare, and Sting loved it.

“I love you, too,” Sting said, kissing Gray gently. “Now go help in the kitchen and I’ll pack the sweater.” Gray hummed happily, and Sting added, “You two can fight over it when we get there.”


	2. together forever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get to the cabin and talk about their future together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me: it will be a one-shot  
> narrator of my life: it was NOT a one-shot
> 
> anyway there's gonna be one more chapter and i'm not sorry because i know you all love this sappy shit <3
> 
> CW for some talk of depression

Gray got the hoodie for the drive to the lake.

“I don’t like driving,” he said as he leaned on the counter and watched Natsu pack the cooler. “It makes me feel better.”

For a second, Natsu was concerned. Gray hadn’t had any nightmares lately, and it wasn’t close to the anniversary of the accident. He was about to ask what was going on when saw the tiny smile pulling the corner of Gray’s lip.

“You’re the worst,” he said, shaking his hand and throwing a banana at Gray. “Pulling the trauma card is _my_ trick.”

“Hah, so you admit that you’re perfectly capable of loading the dishwasher then?” Gray tossed the banana back and Natsu caught it in midair, then added it to the pile of food for the cooler.

“Look,” he said, opening the fridge and grabbing a six-pack of beer to toss in the cooler. “I had a traumatic brain injury.”

“Yeah, two years ago,” Rogue said from in the pantry where he was searching for granola bars. “Sting’s the only one who falls for it anymore, love.”

Sting, who was still packing in the bedroom, stuck his head out the door. “I don’t fall for anything,” he insisted, and Natsu blew him a kiss.

“How does a brain injury prevent you from loading the dishwasher, exactly?” Gray asked. “And don’t you dare try to say it hurts your hip to stand for that long because you went to see Taylor Swift and stood in that crowd for four hours, and you were fine.”

Natsu sighed in defeat. “Fine,” he grumbled. “But reading still sucks.”

“That’s because you’re dyslexic,” Gray insisted. “The neurologist said your brain is fine, so don’t even.”

“Says mister ‘I-have-PTSD-and-can’t-drive-so-I-should-get-the-hoodie.’”

Gray rolled his eyes, then leaned forward and reached over the counter to grab Natsu’s arm, pulling him in for a kiss. Natsu hummed happily, returning the kiss and rubbing his nose against Gray’s. “You’re in a good mood,” he said softly.

Gray nodded, pressing their foreheads together. “The meds are helping,” he said. “The new ones, I mean. They taste gross but I feel better.”

“Good,” Natsu said, running his thumb across Gray’s cheek. The teasing tone faded from his voice as he added, “I was worried about you.”

Gray sighed. His depression had been wavering on unstable before the lockdown, but after two months of being stuck in the house, it had gotten so bad that he’d spent most days either irritable or in tears. He’d finally called his psychiatrist after Sting had found him crying in the shower at two in the morning and had had to carefully talk him down from, _I don’t even want to be alive anymore._

“I know,” Gray said, and Natsu kissed the pink flush that crept across his cheeks.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” he said. “We love you. And you’re not the only one who takes meds, right?” He gestured to the basket of pill bottles to the coffee machine that contained his ADHD pills, Sting’s anxiety medication, and Gray’s antidepressants.

“I still think the pharmacy should give us a group discount,” Rogue said, coming around behind Gray and wrapping an arm around his waist. 

Natsu laughed, kissing Gray’s cheek again before leaning back and returning to filling the cooler. “I tried telling that to the pharmacist last time I was there, but I don’t think she thought it was very funny.”

“She probably wasn’t taking you seriously because you were buying Disney-themed gummy vitamins,” Gray suggested.

“Mm, and the bottle is suspiciously empty, so I know I’m not the only one who’s been eating them.”

“They taste good!” Sting insisted from the bedroom. “Except the pineapple ones.”

“I like those ones,” Rogue said.

“Aha! So you _are_ eating them.”

Rogue shrugged and Natsu stuck his tongue out at him, then closed the fridge and the cooler. “All right, I think we’re good,” he said. “We ready to go?”

“All good,” Sting said, coming out of the bedroom with two duffle bags. The contested sweater was draped over his arm and he looked back and forth between Natsu and Gray with his eyebrow raised.

“Gray can have it,” Natsu said as he headed for the front door and grabbed another sweater from the rack. “I’m just gonna steal his instead.”

* * *

The drive to the lake took nearly three hours, but Natsu’s Spotify playlists kept them entertained. The sky was a bright, clear blue, and trees lined the highway, occasionally giving them a glimpse of the Georgian Bay. They stopped in Parry Sound for Starbucks, and by the time they reached the lake, even Gray was singing along to Kesha.

“God, I love this place,” Natsu said as they unpacked the trunk. Gray’s parents had owned the tiny cabin since he was a kid, and the four of them typically visited at least twice over the summer. The lake was visible from the front porch, bright blue water stretching out under a cloudless expanse of sky.

“Burgers for lunch?” Sting shouted from the porch, gesturing at the barbeque.

“Hell, yes,” Natsu said, grinning. “I’m starving.”

“We literally ate breakfast before we left,” Gray said, fond exasperation in his voice as he bumped shoulders with Natsu. “How are you already hungry?”

“How are you not?” Natsu argued. He gestured for Gray to grab the other handle of the cooler and help him carry it into the cabin. The inside was rustic and welcoming – all wood beams and handmade curtains sewn by Gray and Silver.

“Who’s sleeping where?” Rogue asked, dropping one of the duffel bags in the middle of the living room.

“Dibs on the big bed,” Natsu said, pointing to the master bedroom. The other two beds were twin-sized ones where Gray and Lyon used to sleep as kids. “Sting, you with me?”

“Actually,” Gray said, “can I, uh… be with you?” He gave Natsu an uncertain look. “I don’t wanna sleep alone right now, and I swear I’m not playing the trauma card for the comfy bed.”

“I know you aren’t,” Natsu reassured him, leaning over and kissing his cheek. “Of course you can.”

Rogue gave Gray a fond look, then grabbed one of the bags and headed into the ‘kid’s room.’ Sting started unpacking the cooler, tucking everything neatly into the fridge and leaving out the ingredients for lunch.

They ate on the deck after Gray and Natsu had wiped down the table and cleared the spiderwebs from the deck chairs, and Sting sighed happily, leaning back in his chair. “Can we just live out here for the rest of our lives?”

“Mm.” Gray hooked his foot around Sting’s ankle under the table. “I think the kids at the daycare might miss you. And there’s no coffee shop out here for Rogue to work at. Plus, you’d miss having internet after a week.”

“Fiiine,” Sting said, sighing dramatically.

“We could retire here,” Rogue suggested.

“Pff, in what, forty years?” Natsu snorted, taking a sip of his beer.

“You’re telling me you’re still gonna work in a daycare when you’re seventy?” Gray raised his eyebrows.

“Okay,” Natsu conceded, “Maybe a little earlier than that.”

Sting looked thoughtful and Gray nudged his foot. “What’s up, sunshine?”

Sting smiled at the nickname. “Nothin’,” he said, reaching out and taking Gray’s hand. “Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“Just…” Sting stared at their joined hands. “About us. Being… I dunno. Forever.”

Natsu raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Just… I mean I know we can’t all, um…” Sting’s cheeks started to turn pink and he ducked his head, trying to hide his blush behind the hair he’d been growing out. “Y’know. Get married.” He ran his thumb over Gray’s ring finger. “And that’s fine—I just, talking about retiring together, it’s… nice. Knowing that you guys want this forever.”

“Of course we do,” Rogue said, leaning against Sting’s shoulder. “I’ve never wanted anything else.”

“Don’t worry, we’re all gonna be grumpy old men together,” Natsu teased, but Sting could hear the fondness in his voice. “Who else is gonna put up with me?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Sting muttered as Gray squeezed his hand.

“I don’t…” Gray hesitated. “I dunno what I’d do without you guys. And I mean that in a lot of ways.” Natsu made a soft sound and reached out to rest his hand on Gray’s leg. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—I just…” He looked up and gave them all a soft smile. “I love you all. A lot. And I know I don’t say it as much as everyone else does, cause I—we all know I suck at this shit.”

“Gray—” Sting tried to reassure him, but Gray shook his head.

“No, it’s okay. I just mean that talking about feeling is hard for me, but I love you all, and I want this forever.”

“Good,” Natsu said. “’cause you’re stuck with us.”

“I think I can handle that,” Gray said, laughing.

Rogue kissed Gray’s cheek. “It’s so good to see you happy, love,” he said. “I love your laugh.”

Gray groaned in embarrassment and turned his head, pressing his face to Rogue’s shoulder. “I am happy,” he said quietly.

“Okay, now that we’re getting into ridiculously sappy territory,” Natsu said, “I love you all too and you’re my absolute favorite people in the world.” Gray glanced at him with a small smile on his lip. “You had enough talking about feelings?” Natsu teased.

“Mm.”

Sting kissed the top of Gray’s head. “Why don’t we head down to the lake?” he said, gently changing the subject. “It’s hot as hell out here and I wanna go swimming.”

“Excellent idea,” Natsu said, nodding and standing up to clear off the table. “I get to cool down _and_ check out three hot shirtless guys.”

Gray rolled his eyes, squeezing Sting’s hand and kissing Rogue’s cheek before getting up to help Natsu.

“You want me to do your hair?” Sting asked Rogue, gesturing to where his braid had come undone in the hot summer afternoon. Rogue nodded and shifted over, tugging out the elastic to let Sting re-braid it.

“You’d better hurry up,” Natsu said as he nudged the door open with his foot to head into the kitchen. “’cause the last one into the water is cutting firewood for tonight!” 


	3. barefoot blue jean night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rogue and Natsu talk about staying at the lake for the summer, and Gray thanks Sting for taking care of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gray mentions the events of [reasons to survive](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24935677) where he was feeling suicidal and sting helped him through it. 
> 
> i blame [lastoneleft](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastoneleft) for the fruit roll up line :P 
> 
> if you want some ambiance, i made a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0VUynAV4VwPo7AHakPfFGI?si=47uunOqbQqO8m2HG7agt7w) on spotify of all the songs natsu would play for them. there's also some instagram posts [here](https://gratsustingue-the-ot4.tumblr.com/post/622293403207680000/sunshine-whiskey) from the boy's weekend! (can you tell i have a lot of feelings about this fic?)

“If you get my guitar wet, I’m legally allowed to murder you.”

Rogue rolled his eyes as he flopped down on his beach towel, narrowly avoiding Natsu and the guitar propped up on his knee.

“I’d like to see you try,” Rogue said, wringing out his hair into a puddle on the sand. The sweltering afternoon heat was already evaporating the water that clung to his chest and dripped down past his swim shorts.

“I could kick your ass,” Natsu said, making no move to back up his claim. Instead he picked out a few notes on the guitar and tightened one of the strings.

“Uhuh.” Rogue laughed and reached over to the cooler to grab a beer. “Says the man who tapped out to Sting last time you two wrestled over the brownies.”

“Okay, that’s just unfair,” Natsu said. “Sting is ridiculously strong and we both know it. I once saw him carrying four kids at the daycare at the same time.” Rogue nodded in concession. “At least Gray’s easy to beat,” Natsu said, grinning. “You just have to get him in a chokehold.”

Rogue snorted, covering his mouth to keep the sip of beer he’d just taken from spraying over the beach towel. “I’m gonna tell him you said that.”

Natsu just stuck his tongue out and continued tuning the guitar, humming to himself as he picked at the strings. Eventually he was satisfied and sat back against the piece of driftwood, setting the guitar in the beach chair behind him.

“Can you pass me one of those coolers?” he asked. Rogue looked down into the icebox and grabbed a bottle of something pink, raising an eyebrow and handing it over.

“That looks like cotton candy.”

“It’s watermelon,” Natsu said, popping the cap off and tossing it at Rogue. “They were out of cotton candy.”

Rogue made a face and caught the cap with one hand. “I was joking, that sounds horrible.”

“Okay, mister carbonated wheat juice.” Natsu gestured at Rogue’s beer. “I like my liquor to taste like fruit roll ups, thank you very much.”

“You just like fruit roll ups,” Rogue countered. “I can’t believe you’re thirty-two and your favorite alcohol is candy soaked in vodka.”

“Look,” Natsu said. “Time is a construct. Age is meaningless.”

“You’re ridiculous.”

“And you love me.”

Rogue laughed as Natsu reached out and grabbed his hand, pulling him into a kiss. “Fine, you taste good,” he said, setting his beer down next to the lawn chair and pulling Natsu closer. Natsu made a quiet sound of surprise, then hummed happily, settling in under Rogue’s arm.

“Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Natsu took another sip of his cooler and looked out at the lake where Sting and Gray were still swimming. They appeared to be playing some sort of game that involved wrestling each other under the water, then surfacing to splash at each other.

“He seems so much better,” Natsu said softly, watching as Gray laughed at something Sting said, then pulled him close and kissed him.

Rogue nodded, sliding his fingers between Natsu’s and squeezing his hand. “He does. I wish...” He sighed. “I wish it was easier for him to see how much we love him. It breaks my heart when he thinks he’s not important.”

“Yeah.” Natsu tipped his head against Rogue’s. “I wish... like, I don’t wish he was different, because I love him just the way he is, but if I could take it away, like make things easier for him, I would? Does that make sense?”

“Yeah.” Rogue kissed Natsu’s temple. “I’d do the same for you. I know this has been tough for you, too.”

“Ugh.” Natsu made a face. “Yeah, it’s been a shitshow, hey? I swear, I’ve watched every movie we own, and I couldn’t tell you the plot of a single one of them.” Rogue laughed. “This is good, though – being out here. I wish we could stay.”

“Maybe we should.”

Natsu tipped his head to the side and frowned at Rogue. “Stay?”

“Not forever, but maybe a couple weeks? Gray’s the only one that’s working, and I know Todd would give him the time off. Who knows when the rest of us are gonna go back to work. We might as well be out here if we can.”

Natsu nodded, looking back down at the water. Gray and Sting had swum over to the dock that stretched out from the beach and were sitting on the edge and talking. “We’d just have to convince Gray that we aren’t doing it just for him, ‘cause otherwise he’d feel guilty about it.”

“I’ll tell him it’s for you,” Rogue said, kissing Natsu’s cheek. “Cutting firewood is good for your brain.”

“And my biceps,” Natsu teased. Rogue rolled his eyes and grabbed the cooler out of Natsu’s hand, taking a drink and making a face. Then he tipped his head back toward Nastu’s guitar.

“Play me something.”

“What do you want me to play?”

Rogue shrugged. “Anything,” he said, kissing Natsu’s cheek. “I just like hearing you sing.”

* * *

“I never said thank you.”

Sting tipped his head to the side to look at Gray, who was lying on his back on the dock with his arm thrown over his face to block the sun. The sky was a brilliant, cloudless blue, and Sting knew his face was going to be a mess of freckles by the time they headed home.

“For what?” he asked. Gray didn’t answer right away, and Sting shifted closer and nudged Gray’s hip with his knee. “Gray? What’s wrong?”

Gray sighed. “For talking me down,” he said eventually, keeping his arm over his face. The tips of his ears were red beneath the rapidly drying strands of his dark hair. “It must have been scary for you.”

Sting reached out and took Gray’s hand gently, tugging it away until he could see the uncertain expression on Gray’s face. He didn’t look at Sting, instead keeping his eyes on a seagull that dipped in and out of the water.

“It was scary,” Sting admitted. He knew by now when to soften his words, and when to be blunt, and with Gray it was usually the latter. “I just want you to be okay. I love you so much and I want you to _want_ to be here.”

“I do,” Gray insisted, finally looking at Sting. “I don’t want you to think…” He sighed, pushing himself up until they were sitting facing each other. “It’s not because you’re not enough.”

“Gray,” Sting said gently, taking his hand. “I would never think that. It’s not your fault.”

“I know, I just…” Gray sighed. “I was thinking about you, before I… and I should have asked for help.” He squeezed Sting’s hand. “If you hadn’t—if I’d—I couldn’t…”

Sting shuffled closer, reaching up and running his hand through Gray’s hair. “I’ll always be here for you,” he said. “We all will. No matter what.”

Gray nodded, and Sting was relieved to see how quickly his expression shifted back into something calm and content. “Thank you,” Gray said. “I love you.” He leaned in and kissed Sting’s cheek, then his nose, then his lips. “This is gonna sound weird, but I’m really glad Natsu and I decided to let you guys walk in on us that night.”

Sting laughed, thinking back to the unconventional way that their relationship had started. “Me too.” He kissed Gray once more, then pulled back to look over at the shore where Natsu was strumming his guitar and Rogue was watching with a beer in hand. “We’re all really lucky.”

“We are.” Gray stretched, then pushed himself to his feet and tugged on Sting’s hand. “C’mon,” he said, “I picked up those strawberry daquiri things you like, let’s go get tipsy and listen to Natsu play Taylor Swift.” 

* * *

The sun set slowly, pulling its soft pink light in ripples across the water as Natsu strummed his guitar. Sparks crackled and popped from the campfire, spitting sparks into the air that floated up into the night sky. Gray sighed happily, breathing in the campfire smoke and leaning down to press a kiss to the top of Rogue’s head.

“You smell nice,” he murmured against Rogue’s hair.

“Oh?” Rogue hummed, tipping his head to the side as Gray slid his fingers through his hair, combing out the damp tangles and pushing it aside.

“Mhmm.” Gray kissed Rogue’s neck, breathing in the scent of sunscreen and woodsmoke. “Like summer.” He moved his kisses across Rogue’s shoulder, pushing his tank top out of the way to expose more of his dark brown skin.

“Summer, huh?” Rogue’s voice was low and teasing, and he shifted between Gray’s legs, tipping his head back against his shoulder.

“Mhmm.” Gray slipped his other hand up Rogue’s thigh and moved it under his shirt, running his fingertips across Rogue’s stomach. “’s nice.”

“So are you.”

Gray laughed against Rogue’s skin, sliding one hand down to twine their fingers together. Rogue shifted just enough to nudge Gray into a kiss – soft and lazy against the background of the sunset. The quiet sound of Natsu’s guitar picked up behind the crackling of the fire, and Gray smiled when Natsu’s voice joined the music.

“This song is on your guilty pleasures playlist,” Gray murmured, nudging Rogue’s nose. Rogue stopped kissing him for a second to listen, then giggled and rested his forehead against Gray’s.

“I don’t think they’re guilty pleasures anymore,” he admitted. “Natsu stopped teasing me about liking country music like… eight months ago.”

“You’ve converted him.” Gray caught Rogue’s lips in a kiss again, humming at the taste of beer and chapstick. Rogue melted into the kiss, nipping at Gray’s lip before pulling back and letting go of Gray’s hand. Before Gray could argue, Rogue nudged him back to lean against the piece of driftwood, then straddled his legs and pulled him back in.

“Better?”

“Better.” Rogue’s tongue slid against Gray’s and Gray let out a quiet, happy sound, running his hands up Rogue’s thighs and resting them on his hips. Rogue’s shirt rode up and Gray slipped his fingers below the waist of Rogue’s swim shorts, caressing the soft skin there. He could feel Rogue humming along to the song Natsu was playing, and after a moment he started to softly sing the words.

_Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down  
We were shining like lighters in the dark in the middle of a rock show_

Rogue’s voice was soft and rough, and it pulled Gray back to the trips they’d take together – long drives, just the two of them, that ended with the windows down and both of them singing at the top of their lungs. It was something special that belonged to just him and Rogue, like the quiet words sung between them.

_We were doing it right, we were coming alive_  
_Caught up in a southern summer barefoot blue jean night_

“I love you,” Gray murmured, sliding one hand to Rogue’s back and pulling him closer. Then he tipped his head to the side to watch Natsu’s fingers dance across the frets of his guitar as he played. The sunset stretched across the beach, highlighting Natsu’s dark skin with a sheen of gold that made him seem supernal. Sting sat beside Natsu, leaning against his knee and gazing at him with an expression of adoration in a face dotted with freckles.

A warm sense of contentment flooded through Gray and he was caught off guard by the sensation of tears behind his eyes. The intense depression he’d felt last month felt like years ago as he sat on the beach with his favorite people, being loved and soaking up the summer sun.

“Thank you,” Gray said, turning back to Rogue and kissing him softly. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of the summer just like this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the song natsu is singing is [barefoot blue jean night](https://open.spotify.com/track/3ts6xK5GzfMAAriT9AIBmP?si=hdwsUI7_QCatK-ViO9fEuQ) by jake owen. 
> 
> thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed this ridiculous fluff! <3


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